Social Work Professor Sentenced to 42 Months for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Images
A North Carolina man and former university professor was sentenced Friday to 42 months in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material, federal prosecutors announced.
Blace Arthur Nalavany, 59, of Winterville, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to the charge on March 11. In addition to the prison term, he was ordered to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Nalavany possessed images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. At the time of his arrest, Nalavany was an associate professor of social work at East Carolina University in Greenville and a licensed clinical social worker. His research publications included studies on children who had experienced child sexual abuse. The offense was committed at Nalavany’s home and was not connected to his employment or his work as a licensed clinical social worker.
“This case demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to protecting children from exploitation,” the department said in a statement. “Those who possess images of child sexual abuse will be held accountable, regardless of their profession or background.”
Florida Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Traveling to Philippines to Sexually Abuse Minors
A Florida man was sentenced Thursday to 30 years in federal prison for traveling to the Philippines over several years to sexually abuse minors—including a victim as young as eight years old—and distributing videos of the abuse online, federal prosecutors announced.
Vincent Anthony Principe, 55, of Arcadia, also received a lifetime term of supervised release after pleading guilty on April 30 to charges related to the production of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Principe sexually abused four minors in the Philippines and documented the abuse on video. He then published the videos on a website devoted to child exploitation. Authorities also found that he possessed over 100 images of child sexual abuse material, including depictions of pre-pubescent children.
“The defendant’s vile acts not only caused serious harm through his sexual abuse of multiple minors, but he also inflicted added layers to that harm by memorializing the abuse and distributing it to other offenders,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “No child predator will find safe haven in the United States. The Department is committed to holding U.S. citizens accountable for harming children whether committed in the United States or internationally.”
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida added: “The vile actions of this child predator who exploited children while traveling internationally is reprehensible. Working closely with our law enforcement partners, we remain committed to investigating and prosecuting those who prey on children.”
Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Forrest of the Secret Service’s Criminal Investigative Division stated: “The Secret Service is committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society from exploitation and abuse. This sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s crimes and underscores our dedication to working with U.S. and international partners to ensure offenders are brought to justice, no matter where their crimes occur.”
Online Predator Sentenced to 40 Years for Targeting Children Through Nihilistic Extremist Network
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio-based member of a nihilistic violent extremist network was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years in federal prison for racketeering and child exploitation crimes that included coercing minors into acts of self-harm, animal torture, and sexual abuse, federal prosecutors announced.
Alexis Aldair Chavez, also known as Zack and Zack8884, 19, was an administrator and online leader of the ‘8884’ network, a group affiliated with the 764 network. These groups share accelerationist goals of social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, targeting vulnerable populations—including minors—through coercion and exploitation.
According to court documents, Chavez and his co-conspirators engaged in a pattern of criminal conduct that included demanding victims commit self-mutilation, engage in online and in-person sexual acts, harm animals, and attempt suicide—all to produce “content” that would increase their status within the network.
“Chavez’s crimes reveal the ruthless exploitation and manipulation at the core of NVE groups,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “These organizations target children as part of their broader mission to spread terror. These groups ultimately seek nothing less than the destruction of our society.”
In October 2023, Chavez and a co-conspirator attempted to have a minor female kill herself by overdosing on pills during a video chat, recording the attempted suicide for distribution. Approximately two months later, Chavez and the same minor victim worked together to coerce a female overseas to strip naked on camera, cut herself, and engage in sexual acts. They also extorted another female, forcing her to cut the name “Zack” into herself.
On December 29, 2023, Chavez and a co-conspirator coerced another minor female to cut her tongue and torture and kill a cat on a live video call. That same month, they coerced a female victim to light her arm on fire and let the fire burn through her skin, all while on a recorded video chat. They also groomed another minor victim, forcing her to drink her own urine and attempt to overdose on pills.
On January 23, 2024, Chavez threatened and coerced a minor female victim to engage in sexually obscene activities and other egregious acts. He was arrested on October 24, 2024, and pleaded guilty on December 19, 2025, to one count of racketeering, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas said: “What Alexis Chavez and other members of these Nihilistic Violent Extremist groups have done to the vulnerable children they target is among the most disturbing conduct this office has prosecuted. Parents need to know what their children are doing online and must stay engaged, ask difficult questions, and not fall into the trap of believing their child is ‘just playing games’ or ‘just talking with their friends.'”
FBI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Daniel Faith added: “These predators use social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, chat rooms, and video services to groom vulnerable children. Staying engaged in your child’s online life, maintaining open communication, recognizing the warning signs, and reporting suspicious online activity to law enforcement are critical to stopping these offenders.”
Chavez was also sentenced to lifetime supervised release and ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution.
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